SHUKALB Organizes a Close Out Ceremony for the “Sustainable Water Sector Capacity Development in Albania” Project”

SHUKALB organized a close out event for its USAID funded project grant “Sustainable Water Sector Capacity Development in Albania”, on 28 March 2019, at Hotel Xheko Imperial, Tirana.
The event was opened by Ms. Elisabeta Poci, Deputy Executive Director of SHUKALB, who thanked all the stakeholders in Albania, all the local experts in Albania and Kosovo, as well as the other partner organizations in the region and in the US, for their cooperation and support during the implementation of the Project. After that, Ms. Poci went on highlighting some of the major accomplishments of the Project.
Attending the ceremony, to deliver congratulatory remarks was Ms. Mikaela Meredith, Country Representative, USAID Albania; Ms. Lindita Sotiri, Director, Program Development Directorate on Water Supply, Sewerage, and Waste Infrastructure, Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, and Mr. Zef Maçi, Board Member of SHUKALB, and Director of Lezha Water Supply and Sewerage Company
The event was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, Water Regulatory Authority, Water Supply and Sewerage Companies in Albania, Embassy of Netherlands, Embassy of Switzerland, GIZ, SHUKOS, as well as many local experts and other professionals working in the water sector, who have given their contribution to the success of the Project during its years of implementation.
Some of the most significant results achieved by the Project

Mikaela Meredith, Country Representative, USAID Albania delivering remarks at the close out ceremony. Photo Credit: SHUKALB

• Over 50 well documented training courses covering all aspects of the water supply and sewerage sector, being delivered regularly to the staff of water utilities in Albania and Kosovo.
• An Institutionalized National Training and Test-Based Certification Program for Operational Managers of water supply and sewerage utilities in Albania, established by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy.
• Over 40 trainers trained, coming from water utilities, academia, and private sector, from both countries, Albania and Kosovo.
• Developed and successfully delivered the first distance-learning training course on “Practical Guidelines for the Administrative Council Members of Water Supply and Sewerage Utilities”.

• Signed MoU between Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy of Albania and Ministry of Economic Development of Kosova that will open the way to both governments working together to explore the benefits of developing a joint Test-Based Certification Program for Water and Wastewater Operators in the future.
As a sign of appreciation for their cooperation and contribution, SHUKALB delivered certificates of appreciation to the members of the Work Group of the project, as well as local experts and trainers from both Albania and Kosovo.
SHUKALB will continue to collaborate with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy and all the other stakeholders for the implementation phase of the Certification program.

Group photo of participants at the end of the close out ceremony. Photo Credit: SHUKALB